E-Magnify

Seton Hill University’s E-Magnify women’s business center announces the launch of WriteIdea, Southwestern Pennsylvania’s Regional Business Plan Competition. WriteIdea is sponsored by State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Companies and the Keystone Innovation Zones in Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland Counties.

WriteIdea is a business plan competition targeted to entrepreneurs to award a total of $25,000 in prizes to competition winners including five equal $5,000 cash prizes for the best business plans created to start a business in Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland Counties in Pennsylvania. A panel of judges representing the four-county area will select the winners by February 2009.

Start-up businesses (businesses that have have been in business for two years or less as of January 30, 2009) are encouraged to enter. All business plan entries are confidential.

Eligibility Requirements

Each applicant must be a startup business (be in business two years or less as of January 30, 2009), with sales of less than $100,000. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age.
To be eligible for the WriteIdea prizes awarded to females, businesses must be 51% or more owned and actively managed by one or more woman.
All business plan applicants must be located in the following areas: Fayette, Greene, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties. Male WriteIdea applicants must be focused in the following industry clusters: Westmoreland County - Information Technology, Bio-Medical and Life Sciences and Advanced Materials and Diversified Manufacturing; Washington/Fayette Counties: Information Technology, Defense, and Energy; Greene County: Information Technology, Energy, and Homeland Security.
Each applicant must complete an application, including a brief executive summary (500 words) of their business plan idea, demonstrating their intention to complete a full business plan.
Three copies of the completed business plan must be postmarked by January 30, 2009.
Each winner agrees to be present at the recognition event at a time, date, and place to be announced. Winners will also be surveyed by KIZ Coordinators regarding their business progress per data reporting requirements. Download and complete the data collection agreement above. Please mail the agreement to: c/o E-Magnify, Seton Hill University, Seton Hill Drive, Greensburg, PA 15601.